Jorah's Journey
by weskerscoffee
Summary: Jorah has traveled far North for his Khaleesi. After finding a cure and restoring his family name, he returns with new allies. While in Oldtown, he gathered new knowledge about the growing threat of the white walkers. Jorah is welcomed back by a heartfelt reunion with Daenerys. ( Jorah x Daenerys. )
1. Home

[Before getting to the heart of the story, I wanted to give some backstory to Jorah's journey to find a cure. I felt like it was important to the story to express the lengths he would travel for his Queen. I hope you enjoy!]

Some time had passed since Jorah traveled North in search of a cure for grayscale. The disease had traveled up the full length of his arm and neared closer to his chest and most vital organ every day. He knew he would have to end things soon. His heart solely belonged to another. He would be damned before he allowed this plague to taint the purity of his love.

Just as hope began to fade, Jorah arrived at the Citadel. There, he met with a kind young man who conversed about his adventures beyond the wall.

"You are Jorah Mormont, son to the Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, the old bear. He was a good commander and a dear friend." This man, who called himself Samwell Tarly offered him his condolence before he explained that he recognized his family crest of a bear. "How may I be of service to you?"

With the knowledge and help of his new ally, Jorah was cured. The reminisce of his disease would always be a reminder of how he betrayed the women he loved. The remembrance would serve as a motivation to move the world for her. To do anything to gain her trust back. After all, he valued her trust even more than he desired her affection.

He found relief in the fact that his life had been spared, and for the first time in a while, he could take a calm breath. However, an even greater comfort came from the new knowledge he had acquired in Oldtown, for it would aid his Khaleesi.

Up until this point, he had only heard stories of the white walkers. These stories were thought of as folktales. Not really holding any sound truth. Once upon a time, he would have denied the possibility of such an ancient race. Now, after everything he had seen, he could not deny such truths. Especially since the words came from the wise man that had saved his life. Jorah had seen unexplainable phenomena throughout the years. Legends had come to life right before his own eyes. He had witnessed mystical powers, sorcery, a girl walk into fire and not burn, and dragons.

His travels would take him back home, to Bear Island. Of course, since being exiled, this place no longer felt like he belonged. Instead, his home was outside of the walls of Pentos...through Ghoyan Drohe, Norvos, Qohor, Vaes Khadokhal, and all the way to the end of the Dothraki sea at Vaes Dothrak. Such refuge could only be found in Slaver's Bay, through the grueling climate of the red waste, at Qarth, among the House of the Undying, in Astapor, at Yunkai, in the great temple of Meereen, and so on... His only sanctuary was by her side. No matter the road, the climate, nor the conflict...his feet would carry him beside her until his last breath. He belonged with Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of her name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons.

Upon arriving on Bear Island, Jorah hoped to make amends with his family for his dishonorable crimes. He requested a conference with his cousin, Lyanna. Rumors were spoken that she was competent, intelligent, and rather stern for such a young leader. He feared that he would be locked away, or even worse…

Lyanna had forgiven Jorah of his crimes, but only because she admired the strength of the silver queen. During her studies, she had read many tales of the Targaryen family. Ultimately, Lyanna knew that she would need Daenerys' dragons to help destroy the white walkers. Therefore, she would need to use Jorah as a mediator. The only solution was to restore his honor as Ser Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island, and head of House Mormont.

The journey would soon be over, and it was nearing time for Ser Jorah to head back to his queen. His last bit of business was an audience with the Jon Snow.

"Jon Snow, son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen." This was Jorah's idea of a dramatic line to get the attention of the King of the North. "Your presence is needed in Dragonstone."

...

Daenerys' fleet had crossed the Narrow Sea. At last, she had taken back her ancestral throne at Dragonstone. With the help of her advisors, she had made plans to secure Westeros. Their meetings were held in the Chamber of the Painted Table. Before they could move forward with their plan, they first had to deal with the growing threat of Euron Greyjoy, who had made an alliance with Cersei Lannister.

-End backstory-

...

"This place never ceases to amaze me. The Valyrian stonemasonry is unlike anything I have ever seen. The only problem is the lack of wine." Tyrion went on to complain. "I think better when I drink."

Daenerys offered him a half smile. Over time, she had really come to appreciate Tyrion's council. Even more so, she enjoyed his company, and admired his knowledge of history, literature, and well- everything.

A strange feeling pulled her away from her seat at the Painted Table. While standing by a stone pillar, she looked out to the sea. The darkness aided the true brilliance of the starlight. All her light eyes could make out was the ocean ripples that were lit by the reflection of the full moon. Her mind got lost in the comforting sounds of waves crashing until suddenly she noticed the silhouette of an incoming ship.

Those thick brows pulled together, and her eyes began to quake.

Confusion pulled at Tyrion's face. An expression he was not used to. "What's happened?"

Just as soon as she noticed the ship, Grey Worm entered the room. "My queen, we have spotted an incoming ship. Shall we take action?"

A deep breath escaped her lips, and she managed to pull herself together before turning. "That will not be necessary. I believe Ser Jorah is aboard that ship, and I welcome his return."

Knowing exactly what had just transpired, Tyrion smirk. The last time he had seen such a somber expression from Daenerys was when she had sent that man away. For some reason, her emotion for Jorah pleased him.

Grey worm seemed a bit surprised by the declaration. "He does not travel alone. What shall I do with his companions?"

Words escaped her. Normally, she could think quick on her feet, but this was different. It had been so long, and she…

Noticing her discomposure, Tyrion quickly spoke up. "Escort his companions to me, and see Ser Jorah to the garden. There, he may have a private audience with _his_ _queen_." He teasingly emphasized the last two words of his sentence.

Grey Worm waited for her to acknowledge him in agreement. Once she did, he left to carry out his orders.

"I know he means a lot to you. May I ask you a question?"

"Go on…" Her sharp eyes look directly at him.

Finger smoothed over his chin as he contemplated. "I don't doubt Jorah's love for you. Is it possible that you share his feelings?" He met her gaze with a raised brow.

"See to it that our guests are fed and provided shelter. I am sure they have traveled some distance to get here." Without another word, she slipped out the door.

...

The garden was indeed a fitting place for their reunion. Here, she did not have to worry if others saw her shed a tear. She could speak freely. Nerves ate away at her as she waited for him. Before long, small pellets of rain fell from the sky.

Jorah marveled at the large dark trees that towered over him. He followed a pathway of wild roses and thorny hedges so tall that he could not see beyond them. The garden almost seemed symbolic of Daenerys herself. The plants were overwhelmingly beautiful. Yet, if one tried to pluck them away then they would bleed.

His queen had traveled deeply within the maze. At long last, sky blue eyes caught sight of her standing near a vine of cranberries. Laced in white satin, she looked like a goddess as she stood with her back to him.

Words only flowed after he swallowed hard. "You will catch a chill standing out here in the rain." Not seeing her face helped restrain him from embracing her.

When she finally turned, he was shaken by her watery eyes. Jorah took a moment to look over every detail of her face. The same one he had imagined so vividly when he closed his eyes at night. The one that brought him comfort within his dreams. Still, he could not believe that she was real. Hard breaths escaped his lips as he dropped down to one knee.

"Khaleesi… I have dreamt of the day that I would be reunited with you. My travels lead me north, and I have much to tell you. After I found a cure, I went to my homeland of Bear Island. There, I regained my family name and restore my honor as Ser Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island, and head of House Mormont. I brought back with me new allies… Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, King of the North, and son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen… Ser Davos Seaworth...and Gendry, bastard son of Robert Baratheon. Though I will do everything in my power to aid your quest for the iron throne, I fear a much greater enemy. White walkers mean to descend from beyond the wall, Khaleesi. They could destroy us all."

She was too stunned by his appearance to comprehend his words. Her knees felt weak as she looked upon his face. His complexion was much paler than before. Proof that he had spent much time in the North. A desire to feel his skin upon hers rushed through her hand, and she kneeled down so that she could stroke his cheek. Soft fingers traced along his jawline. "Jorah the Andal, I cannot think of such matters right now." A smile pulled at her lips behind her tears.

Jorah leaned into her touch before closing his eyes. The last time he had felt her touch was in Qarth when he told her that he would die for her. The warmth from her touch pulled through his cheek and caused his body to lightly shiver. He was sure that she could hear the loud thuds of his rapid heartbeat.

The longing to touch her surged through his veins. He felt a yearning ache in his bones, and a strain in his muscles. Before he could stop himself, strong arms pulled her into a tight grasp. "Forgive me, my queen..."

Defeated by his embrace, she slid her shaky arms around his back. Soft lips nuzzled gently against the stubble on his neck. Silent moments passed before she whispered, " Ser Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island, and head of House Mormont...I once told you that I needed you by my side when I took the seven kingdoms. Will you still stand by me?"

"Aye, always and forever Khaleesi."

She paused before continuing. "Will you stand by me as your wife?"

Her words shot through him like lightning. "W-what?" Jorah's rough hands grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. The feeling of soft silk was a stark contrast to the calluses on his fingertips. They slithered down the fabric of her dress before stopping to squeeze her forearm. "Khaleesi, as your advisor, I must advise you against that. I cannot marry you."

-To be continued-


	2. The Kiss

Exhaustion consumed Jorah for it had been many moons since he last had a good rest. Despite having been provided a comfortable bed, his light crystal eyes remained open. A soft sigh escaped him while his arm stretched over to rest on his forehead. The cotton of his loosely tied tunic was all that shielded him beneath the feather blanket.

What surprised him more than her proposal was his strength to refuse it. After all, what sane man would deny the woman he loved of marriage? He had his reasons.

A new dawn was on the rise. Just as the sun's bright rays crept through the stone window, Jorah's restless mind surrendered to sleep.

...

Jorah was the last to arrive at the meeting at the Painted Table. Upon entering, he would quietly take his rightful seat next to Daenerys.

"Sitting on the Iron Throne won't do anyone any good if you're not but bones. We all need to stop fighting each other, and instead ban together to fight on the side of the living." Ser Davos looked over and nodded at Jon.

"If the White Walkers manage to get beyond the wall, they will kill every man, woman, and child. Their numbers are great, and their magic is strong. Even worse, their numbers grow every day that they are not stopped. Those who fight against them and fall….rise again. The dead pick up their sword to fight in the White Walker's army. That is why..." Jon was interrupted by Lord Varys.

"A grave danger indeed. The problem is how do you convince others of this threat? Most deny the White Walkers' existence entirely. From my experience, it is not easy to sway the opinion of those in power. They care not for the good of the realm, but only of wealth and power. While you send your armies north, they could seize the opportunity to take advantage of your absence." Lor Varys looked to Daenerys.

"Say I did join your cause, how does one convince others to follow?" Her question was directed toward Jon.

Jon pondered for a moment before answering. "We convince every house to send one able body. I will lead a squad beyond the wall. The free folks know the land. We will travel in a small group. So, we can go undetected. I ask for the aid of Ser Jorah and Davos."

The mere mention of Jorah's name stung her. Her gaze quickly darted over towards him. "And you would agree to this?"

"Aye, my queen. I believe this threat must be destroyed before seeing you on the iron throne." Her gaze captured him, and he frowned at the thought of leaving her again. For a moment, it was as if they were in the room alone having a private conversation.

"How does one kill a White Walker?" Daenerys could see the fatigue behind his somber expression.

"With fire, dragon-glass and Valyrian steel, Khaleesi… Weapons that could only be forged at Dragonstone." Jorah could not stop his mind from wandering to the night before. The need to speak with her on that matter almost seemed more urgent than this meeting.

Silent moments passed before Tyrion cleared his throat to speak. "Even if we have the means to produce such weapons, there are only three known blacksmiths that know how to forge Valyrian steel. Unfortunately, I know not their names nor how to locate them."

"I can forge Valyrian steel," Gendry spoke up.

All eyes turned to him.

...

Their meeting carried on for some time before it was dismissed. Tyrion had requested a private audience with Daenerys and Jorah.

"If you intend to join in the fight against the White Walkers, I believe it would be appropriate for you to go ahead and find a suitor. By doing so, you gain new allies and the trust of the people."

Jorah did well to hide his discomposure from Tyrion. However, Dany could sense his discomfort. His body had stiffened, and muscles were tight. Silence fell over him, and his hand balled itself into a fist. With a hard swallow, he looked down.

"With that being said, the number of eligible bachelors is a bit lacking… You have your nephew, Jon Snow. He has proven to be a strong ally… He has the love and devotion of his people and is the King of the North. It is not like the pairing of relatives is unheard of in the Targaryen family. Even brother and sister have wed. Who am I to judge that? After all, even my own brother and sister have…" He realized that he was ranting, and quickly went on to the next person on his list. "Of course, there is Theon Greyjoy… but from what I hear, he's lacking…" Tyrion paused. "In the reproducing department. If you are to be queen, you will need an heir."

Jorah's brows pushed together as a jolt rushed through him. His sympathetic eyes looked over to his queen only to see that she looked back at him. He knew that she had not bled since birthing Drogo's child.

Clearly, Tyrion was missing something. He noticed a moment pass between them. "Unless Jorah has another suitor in mind?"

Before Jorah could reply, Daenerys spoke up. "I agree that Jon Snow is the best suitor. I will speak to him on the matter."

This time, her eyes looked anywhere but at Jorah. Dany turned her back to him and coldly walked out of the room.

"If I may, Ser Jorah…" Tyrion began to offer his advice.

Feeling flustered and even angry at what just transpired, he responded. "You may not." He had a rather wild look within his eyes as he stormed after her.

...

With loud thuds, his feet practically glided down the stone stairwell. She was nearing to the bottom when his hand grasped her to a halt.

"You cannot marry him. Daenerys...You have strong allies, an army, dragons, and advisers that love you… You do not need a husband to take the seven kingdoms." His tone was nearly as firm as his grasp.

"I don't understand how you have a say in the matter. I offered the title to you, but you refused. Don't you remember?" She glanced down at his hand and gave him a disapproving look.

In order to calm himself, he took a deep breath and let his fingers slowly run down her arm as he released her. "Khaleesi...I cannot endure seeing you marry a man that you do not love ever again. Even if that man is me. I do not want a title when it has no meaning. I just want to be free to love and to serve you."

"And what is love, Ser Jorah? I never looked upon my mother's face, nor felt her loving embrace. My brother would have let one thousand men rape me if it got him what he wanted. I was forced into a marriage to a man who first saw me as property. I bared his child but never got to hold my son… I never had the chance to love him like a mother should. Every month that I do not bleed, I am reminded of the children's love that I will never have. So, I ask again, what is love?"

The desire to comfort her rushed through his veins like blood. Jorah had to remind himself of his place. Daenerys was not his to hold nor touch.

"I can't speak for others Khaleesi, only for myself. Love is selfless, patient, and present even if it is unrequited. Love is blindingly following another simply because you believe in them. True love is built through sacrifice and suffering- together. And without love, what else is there for me to fight for? I do not care for land nor wealth. Not anymore. My life perhaps? I only fight for it because it belongs to you, my queen." Those soft eyes seemed an even lighter hue of blue when he wore that turquoise scarf around his neck.

"When I was carrying another man's child, did you love me then?"

Shame consumed him and caused him to break his gaze. "Yes…"

"When exactly did your affection start?"

"Khaleesi… please." He pleaded for her to go no further.

"You will answer your queen."

"From the moment I first met you, I felt an attraction. I saw a brave girl behind those sad eyes. I wanted to save you from that world. The best I could do was stay close by your side. Aid you when I could. After a while, I realized that you did not need to be saved, and I loved you even more for it."

"And yet, you have saved me... from poison and the blade of the Son of the Harpy… You have carried me when I could not stand. Fought for me, and would die for me?"

"Aye, your grace. I would."

"Dying is easy, Ser Jorah." She continued to descend into the darkness of the stairwell. The light from the hanging torches highlighted her silver hair. The sheer sapphire fabric which tied around her was nearly transparent under the light. The thin fabric of her robe flowed behind her.

He reached and managed to grasp a piece of her robe as he followed her down the stairway. Once they made it to the bottom, she turned to him with a sad kind of look.

"Would you live for me?"

He nodded.

Jorah was not used to seeing Dany so-vulnerable. Though he knew more about her than anyone else, he had not known how deep her scars were. The way she spoke of love hurt him. Some part of him felt like he had failed her.

"I know it's not my place your grace, but what was done to you was through black magic. After everything we have seen, perhaps it could be undone."

Her body rested back against the cold stone wall. "It can… when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east...When the seas-"

His hands placed themselves to each of her sides and trapped her against the wall. To close the empty space between them, he nearly pressed his body against hers. "Don't go on with that…"

She did not take orders from him. So, she continued,"when the seas go dry and mountains…"

Those words made him lose his wits and all self-control. Before his mind could even process his body's movements, he silenced her with his lips.

He held back at first. His kiss was gentle and tender. When their lips parted, he studied her expression...sought any sign of rejection or revulsion. Instead, he saw a look of longing.

Dany's cheek had grown scarlet, and her pupils were wide. She was taken back by his advancement. Soft lips parted with every sharp breath.

Having spent years respectfully holding back, his affections got away with him. Strong arms pulled her body against his, and he took advantage of her parted lips. As lips crash against hers once more, his tongue eagerly assaulted her mouth. Rough fingertips smoothed over her cheek and weaved into her long locks.

The feeling of his stubble against her smooth face made her body tremble. He tasted sweet. Time seemed to escape her as she returned his passion. Her mouth widened to better take in his tongue, while hers danced wildly against his.

The sound of her soft moans nearly drove him mad. Mind contemplated how easy it would be to undress her. That sheer fabric would prove to be a weak armor against his bulging manhood. Just as his hands began to wander her body, he pulled away. He hadn't meant to handle her in such a way.

Daenerys looked away. Her hand cupped her lips before she scolded him. "That can't happen again… I am your queen!"

Jorah stood motionless. No words could defend his actions. Instead of speaking, he just watched her disappear back up the stairs. The memory of how intoxicating her lips felt would always be his treasure. He was completely poisoned with her. Despite her words, his Khaleesi had returned his affection. Such a revelation made his lips curl into a grin. The remanence of her phantom kiss still lingered on his lips.

-To be continued-


End file.
